Arsenal & Chelsea handed Ivan Toney transfer update by Brentford director

Brentford technical director Phil Giles insists he is yet to have any contact with clubs over in-demand striker Ivan Toney.

Toney is due to return from a gambling suspension in January, but 90min understands he has made it clear he is keen to move on from Brentford this winter, with both Arsenal and Chelsea known admirers of the 27-year-old hitman.

The Bees are demanding in excess of £80m to part ways with Toney - a figure which is expected to bring an end to the interest in his services in January.

For Giles, a transfer for Toney is not on the agenda, but the Brentford chief did leave the door open to a potential move.

"I've never had one phone call in three-and-a-half years about Ivan Toney, in terms of interest in buying him," Giles told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"My job is really easy because I get on with the day-to-day. I have a lot to do and spend less time worrying about Ivan’s situation than others. With Thomas [Frank], it's [the case of] getting him ready, getting him fit, getting him some practice games in, and then the expectation is he'll come back in the team.

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"If my phone rings between now and then, I'll see what's happening. But I’m really not focused on that at all."

Brentford are looking to hand Toney a contract extension but 90min understands the striker, while open to signing, would only do so if any new deal included a reasonable release clause to facilitate his next move.

Both Arsenal and Chelsea are known to have looked at alternative transfer targets, with Feyenoord's Santiago Gimenez among those to have been watched by both London sides.

Chelsea are prepared to focus their efforts on another target, Napoli's Victor Osimhen, whose future in Italy is far from certain after talks over a new contract hit a massive stumbling block.

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